Swordfish in Creamy Tomato Sauce

• Recipe by Paula Wolfert

Any thick, beefy fish will work with this dish, such as sea bass, bluefish or tuna; I make it here with swordfish. The fish is cooked at low temperature in an aromatic broth spiked with tomato, garlic and oregano, allowing it to absorb the rich flavors while still remaining moist and succulent.

Ingredients

1. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2. 4 garlic cloves, crushed
3. 1 poblano or Anaheim pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice
4. Salt and freshly ground pepper
5. One 16-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
6. 1/2 cup water
7. 2 tablespoons heavy cream
8. Four 6-ounce swordfish steaks, about 1 inch thick
9. 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
10. Pinch of dried oregano
11. Turkish Ridged Flat Bread, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. In a large, ovenproof skillet, flameproof clay pot or enameled cast-iron baking dish, melt the butter. Add the garlic and poblano, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat until the poblano starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, water and cream and bring to a simmer.
2. Season the swordfish steaks with salt and pepper and nestle them in the tomato mixture. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, turning the steaks once, until just cooked through.
3. Using a slotted spatula, transfer the swordfish to plates. Stir the vinegar and oregano into the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the fish and serve with Turkish Ridged Flat Bread.